What piece of gear do you use that sets your sound or style different from most?

I ask this question because I am a drummer and we drummers have alot of cool toys we can incorporate into our kits. I guess I have always had multiple sets of Hi Hats in my kit. I've always used two. One is always near closed and the other is foot controlled. You'd be surprised how musical a set of fixed hats with a 100% consistent sound can be over a cool double bass pattern. I usually get a weird reaction when drummers take a spin on my kit for the first time. They don't understand my theory behind it I guess.

I also have three China type cymbals in my setup. I just dig em.

My bassist uses an Octave pedal to really dig in and growl. It is quite cool and just not the same when he plays without it.

Over the years I've played around with a lot of different setups. The amp, guitar or effects can all alter the sound considerably. The only thing that ever seems to remain constant is the notes I choose to play.... If anything I think my signature is the way I choose to play (the notes, the timing and the phrasing).

I like to go from a mesa boogie style crunch rimnescent of JOhn Petrucci to a country style twang in my solos and stuff so i guess thats kind of my signateure

_________________The fact that flamethrowers exist is enough to prove that somewhere, sometime, someone said to themselves "you know, I wanna set those people over there on fire, but im just not close enough to get the job done".

Over the years I've played around with a lot of different setups. The amp, guitar or effects can all alter the sound considerably. The only thing that ever seems to remain constant is the notes I choose to play.... If anything I think my signature is the way I choose to play (the notes, the timing and the phrasing).

I guess what I meant was all about gear. Like a piece of equipment that you alone use in your circle of musician friends. When your friends try your stuff out, they look at you like you are nuts for having it. It sounds like sh*t when they try to use it, and then you sound massive when you do. It is like the feeling of Home when you are on it. Feels good. Feels right. (Am I being too weird for asking this?)

Another example is that I have a friend who plays alot of his rhythm with that Gilmour, Bodeans, Freddy Jones Band delay thing happening. It is cool as hell and I know exactly when he is playing in a crowd of guitarists..... barring that David Gilmour, the Bodeans, or FJB are not in the room too.

_________________The fact that flamethrowers exist is enough to prove that somewhere, sometime, someone said to themselves "you know, I wanna set those people over there on fire, but im just not close enough to get the job done".

Wed Dec 04, 2002 4:43 am

Reachwind

Dr. X

Joined: Sun Nov 17, 2002 9:26 pmPosts: 212

Quote:

. When your friends try your stuff out, they look at you like you are nuts for having it. It sounds like sh*t when they try to use it, and then you sound massive when you do.

The guitar is such a popular instrument with soooo many different voices that I don't think anyone has a truly signature gear setup. Unless you build and use your own effects you're always going to sound like someone else (aside from playing style.)

As far as gear that I just about have to have.... I love playing a good amp (extra thick gain) and a fast guitar. Everything else is just a prop.

I think gear's great for finding your own sound and having fun and experimenting with but sometimes I think it kinda gets too overemphasised, IMO. Like Paul in the UK Guitar Techniques studio - he was going straight into the amp. And I guess I may have my own (painful) sound but then I hardly have any gear. Therefore I have to use these thing sticking off the end of my hands called FINGERS to kind of "make" my own sound. And I think it's worth noting for players like Yngwie, Jeff Beck and Paul Gilbert, they would sound the same - awesome - with or without their gear. And I think for someone who is serious in forging their own real "signature" sound, or tone, that's the way to do it.

Although the Eventide Harmoniser would be great.

_________________I'll play it first and tell you what it is later.

Wed Dec 04, 2002 6:04 pm

dougstapp

Dr. X

Joined: Sun Nov 17, 2002 9:32 pmPosts: 158Location: Texas

I just use Ibanez's, Laney Heads, Whatever Cab sounds good at the venue (Laney or Genz-Benz) and reverb. Nothing Special but it works for me. I've always liked really stripped tones ala Fair Warning (VH) and Paul's tone from Lean Into it through all of the new Racer X CD's so that what I go for.

As for gear, I'm the only guy I know here in the So. Cal music scene that still uses an ADA MP1... The built in Chorus is a staple of my sound... and as for playing, although PG is my biggest influence, I'm more often compared to Lynch or DiMartini... I sometimes have a tendancy to over-do it on the harmonic picking too...X

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